Prophecy Of The Stars

27. RUMOURS

The morning training session ended. Their energy has been completely expended leaving them to feel ravenously hungry. All of them scurried to the dining hall for lunch.

Wan Huang, Wan Fang, Ren Weilin and Yun Shan walked together to the dining room.

All disciples lined up for their turn. Wan Fang, Ren Weilin and Yun Shan joined the queue while Wan Huang was sent away by Yun Shan to wait, while he promised to bring her share of food too.

Yun Shan was very caring towards Wan Huang. Every morning, he waited for her, at the gates of their dormitories to go to class together. He sat beside her in every class and was even her sparring partner during combat training.

These actions elicited small discussions among the students. No one dared to make it big. Yun Shan ignored these discussions while Wan Huang....

She was living in a world of her own. Most of the time, she remained oblivious to time and her surroundings. She moved around in a daze all time and only returned to normal during training sessions.

Everyone categorized her as a weirdo for her behaviour. Infact, it wasn't that she lost her mind, apart from training sessions, she was continuously conversing with xiufeng, exchanging pointers and advices on her training methods.

In the spare time she got between trainings, she secretly practiced under Xiufeng's guidance.

Days turned to weeks. While Wan Huang remained oblivious to everything, discussions on her and Yun Shan took a new turn with the surprising entry of a new character.

The main theme of the rumors were how Wan Huang coerced Yun Shan to be with her and how Wan Huang shamelessly became a third party.

Rumours widely discussed that Yun Shan and Ren Weilin had a very good relationship to the extend that, while on the mission, Yun Shan risked his life to save Ren Weilin from danger. Both had growing feelings for each other and Wan Huang became jealous and forced Yun Shan to be with her by blackmailing him emotionally.

Helpless, Ren Weilin could only step back.

The gossips grew big. Wan Fang was irritated by these rumors. Although not much close, but she still understood Wan Huang's personality.

In that girls mind, there was nothing other than cultivation. She was always in a daze everyday, to the point that she might not even know who she was.

Given such personality, Wan Huang wouldn't care about falling for a guy or being in a relationship. She was totally unaware of the rumors.

Ren Weilin was worried about Wan Huang. She tried many times to defend Wan Huang and explain things, but her voice went unheard.

The rumors took another worse turn about, how the innocent and pitiful Ren Weilin took the blame herself and pleaded for her friend despite being cheated by her.

Ren Weilin became the pitiful good girl in the story, while Wan Huang became a selfish, heartless villian.

Yun Shan remained silent, neither accepting nor denying the rumors. Even when asked about it, he just brushed off the question.

Two girls fighting for his affection greatly satisfied his ego and vanity. He was curious to know, who would win, in the end.

These days, Wan Huang was completely focused on raising her fire attribute element to level three. She practiced the Flaming star creation technique and she was close to entering third level of fire attribute.

Xiufeng was well aware of the discussions about her, but chose to remain silent so as to not distract her. Therefore, Wan Huang was kept in dark about the waves of gossips that revolved around her.

Wan Huang entered the class in the morning. Today it seemed like she woke up from her dazed condition and seemed alive. A few minutes later, she noticed weird, disdainful glances on her.

Seeing she noticed the oddity, Xiufeng explained to her everything that has been going on these past days. Hearing the details, she just smirked and ignored it. Soon the master entered and began the class.

During lunch, Wan Fang shared the gossips with Wan Huang. Although she didn't express it, Wan Fang was concerned about Wan Huang. Wan Fang was a person who stayed away from others, leading a solitary life due to the circumstances she grew up in. She didn't know why, but she cared for Wan Huang. Maybe she saw herself in the lonely Wan Huang.

Ren Weilin repeatedly pacified Wan Huang and affirmed her 'innocent' relationship with Yun Shan. She was annoyed by the rumors and even tried to stand up for her friend, but was ignored by everyone.

Yun Shan seemed unaffected, passively telling them to ignore such gossips as they themselves knew what the truth was.

Back in her room, at night, Wan Huang thought about the situation and felt the whole thing strange. She and Yun Shan, apart from polite greetings and some trivial help, had nothing going on between them. She didn't even know Ren Weilin and Yun Shan were in the same team until Ren Weilin unintentionally explained it today.

As for Yun Shan, he never responded to these discussions, but he hovered around her. Why did she feel like, she was embroiled in a bloody battle while Yun Shan was waiting on the sidelines to reap the benefits?.

Who spread such rumors in the sect? What did they want? Why her? She never offended anyone and was always minding her own business.

Whoever it was, their main objective was to damage her reputation. That was clear to her.

Just who could it be? Ren Weilin? No. She is not such a type of person. If she was, she would not stand up for her injustice. Yun Shan? But what will he gain by defaming her?

Then who?

A name popped into her mind. Wan Bei.

But Wan Huang was now Li Huang. Her appearance was also changed. There is nary a chance Wan Bei recognized her. But other than Wan Bei she could not come up with any name.

The situation became more and more grave for Wan Huang. Wherever she went, she could hear her name being mentioned with her sullied reputation.

"Look here comes the mistress. Isn't she ashamed?".

"How can she be compared to Ren Weilin who is as beautiful and innocent as a flower. With her common look, she is just dreaming to replace Ren Weilin".

"Ren Weilin is really pitiful to have such a wicked person as her friend".

The story further developed about how she became a mistress and her personality as crooked and devious surrounded her. She ignored them all, but Ren Weilin lost her cool many times and argued back with them, defending Wan Huang.

Soon, it became the twenty-seventh day of second month of summer. On the last day of every month, they were given a free day to relax.

Ren Weilin excitedly discussed with Wan Fang and Wan Huang about how to spend the free day.

Wan Fang was not interested since she wanted to continue cultivation. Wan Huang also tried to pull back as she had a feeling, she was about to breakthrough into third level of fire attribute, so she wanted to focus on it.

Finally, under much pleading from Ren Weilin, Wan Huang agreed to have a friendly match with her to exchange blows and learn from each other the next day.

Feeling happy, Ren Weilin flattered them and shared the tangerines that she recently got from her house with Wan Fang and Wan Huang.

As the night stars appeared in the sky and scattered their lights, everyone retired to sleep.